Q1: What is the absolute, number one secret to my candy cane cookies that spread out and lost their shape?

The most important secret is to chill your dough. After you have shaped your candy canes, a quick 15 to 20-minute chill in the refrigerator is the foolproof, professional secret that will guarantee your cookies will hold their beautiful, sharp shape and their distinct, striped pattern in the hot oven.

Q2: How do I get a really vibrant, deep red color for my cookies?

The secret is to use a gel food coloring. Gel food colorings are much more concentrated than the classic, liquid food colorings, so you can achieve a beautiful, deep red color with just a few drops, and without adding a lot of extra, unwanted liquid to your dough.

Q3: Can I make these ahead of time for a Christmas party?

Yes, absolutely! The best method is to freeze the unbaked, fully shaped candy cane cookies. You can place them on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, and then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag.2 You can then bake them directly from frozen, just be sure to add a few extra minutes to the total baking time. This allows you to have fresh, warm cookies on the day of your party!

Q4: Can I make this with a from-scratch sugar cookie dough?

Of course! If you have a favorite, from-scratch sugar cookie recipe that you love, you can absolutely use that as your base instead of the boxed mix. Just be sure it is a sturdy dough that is good for rolling and shaping.

Q5: Can I add other flavors or decorations?

Yes! For an extra festive touch, you can sprinkle your unbaked cookies with a little bit of crushed peppermint candies or some red and white sprinkles before you bake them.

Candy Cane Cookies (A Fun Christmas Recipe!)

An easy and festive recipe for ‘Candy Cane Cookies,’ a classic Christmas treat. This simple recipe uses a sugar cookie mix as a convenient base, which is enriched with cream cheese for a soft texture. The dough is divided in half, with one portion tinted red and the other flavored with peppermint extract. The two colors of dough are rolled into ropes, twisted together, and then shaped into a candy cane before being baked until golden.

Author: Evelyn

Ingredients

1 box sugar cookie mix
1/2 stick (4 tbsp) butter, melted
1 egg
1/3 cup softened cream cheese
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, plus additional for surface
Red food coloring
1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine the sugar cookie mix, melted butter, egg, cream cheese, and flour. Mix together until a dough forms.
Separate the dough into two equal portions and place them in two different bowls.
Add red food coloring gradually to one bowl of dough, kneading it until you reach the desired shade of red.
To the second bowl of uncolored dough, add the peppermint extract and knead it in.
On a floured work surface, take a small piece of each colored dough and roll them into 1/4-inch-wide ropes, each about 6 inches long.
For each cookie, carefully twist one red and one white rope of dough together.
Shape the twisted rope into a candy cane by curving the top.
Place the candy canes on the prepared cookie sheets. Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

This is a very easy holiday cookie recipe that uses a store-bought sugar cookie mix as a time-saving shortcut.
The addition of cream cheese to the dough creates a softer, richer cookie.
This is a fun and festive baking project that is perfect for making with kids during the holiday season.

Find it online: https://cookupjoy.com/candy-cane-cookies/